Gov’s idea – a confrontational musical fantasy dealing with the realities of Cancer, Cancer treatment and human responses to both – is inspired. In the second Act of Happy Endings there are flashes of the truth, pain and insight that Gov, who died of Cancer in 2012, brought to the enterprise.
The Hard Problem is populated with unpleasant and unlikeable people spouting difficult scientific jargon in a sea of sentimental and predictable banality. There are a handful of good jokes but a handful is insufficient. The detailed notes in the programme provided more dramatic interest than about 100 minutes of stage time.
It’s an incredible performance from Ward. It’s no easy feat to pull off a one man show as one character, let alone to be holding three and four way conversations in character using different accents and characterisations. Add having co-written and co-produced the piece too and you realise the talent at play here.
The Separation, now at Theatre503, is a puzzle. Set on the eve of the Irish divorce referendum of 1995, the play confronts a real world, extremely difficult problem head on—what does divorce mean to the Irish family?
Where Do Little Birds Go? Vault Festival 6 February 2015 4 Stars “My name is Lucy Fuller. I am 24 and I live in Whitechapel. When I was 18 I was kidnapped by the Kray twins, and locked in a flat with an escaped murderer” So reads the poster and teaser for Camilla Whitehill’s new play Where Do Little Birds Go?, the title taken from the song sung by Barbara Windsor in Lionel Bart’s first musical Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be! Lucy Fuller starts the play as a 17 year old innocent, full of youthful bravado and that indestructable belief that comes with youth. It’s not too long before her journey down the rabbit hole of late night London, and the world of the Krays, brings down that bravado leaving her youth shattered. Where Do Little Birds Go? is a one act play that runs at just on 65 … Read more
10 Best New Plays in London What Play should you see first in London? We have compiled this list to save you the trouble of working it out! It’s just our view – and everyone has one – based on our Reviewers’ thoughts. We will update the list regularly so new productions get on your radar and when original casts change that is factored in. Plays which have been running for more than three years are not included – this is a list for new or relatively new productions running in London. We’ve included booking links for the shows listed and there are some great offers available on some of these shows. So go see them! If you prefer musicals check out our Top 10 Musicals list. 1. Tree – Old Vic It’s gentle, fascinating stuff. Watching these two very different men bond over nothing really, except their maleness, and … Read more
Russell is the key to the trio, the ebullient, man-hungry, life-grabbing, and casually irritating Rose. Outhwaite is forthright and calming and when her world collapses, the pain is clear, bruising and sensitively conveyed. Her funeral oration in Act Two is especially good. Spiro imbues the most difficult character of the three with insight and understanding. Her final scene with Outhwaite is powerful indeed.
Shaun Evans demonstrates convincingly his skills as an actor – his enlivening of Alex is complex, rich in detail, and utterly beguiling. Capricious, selfish, shrill to the point of ear-drum splitting, cruel and sarcastic, Miranda Raison’s Juliet is spectacularly beautiful on the outside but ghastly on the inside. Raison, a gifted and compelling actress, does her best.
